[Findegil]

I will add a small and very fine spun argument that could give some more credibility to the type 1 monsters of iron as mechnical devices in the later story:
In the view I expressed above these type 1 monsters are the only once that are really special, that means the bronz and copper typ 2 dragons are changed to normal fire-dragons and the serpents of pure flame (type 3) are in way seen beforhand in the Dagor Bragollach. And these type 2 "monsters" had one very special purpose in the sack of Gondolin: They granted the access to walls for the attacking forces.
With these two facts in mind we can consider the passages of "The Fall of Gondolin" (which you retained at least in part - rightly in my oppinion), were Meaglin betrayed Gondolin:
"Therefore he counselled Melko to devise out of his sorceries a succour for his warriors in their endeavour. From the greatness of his wealth of metals and his powers of fire he bid him make beasts like snakes and dragons of irrestible might that should overcreep the Encircling Hills and lap that plain and its fair city in flame and death."
Later in a Note to "The Wanderings of Húrin" Tolkien said:
"Later when captured and Meaglin wished to buy his release with treachery, Morgoth must answer laughing, saying: Stale news will buy nothing. I know this already, I am not easily blinded! So Meaglin was obliged to offer more - to undermine resistance in Gondolin."
And on a another slip of paper containing the same note Tolkien added:
"and to compass the death of Tour and Eärendel if he could, If he did he would be allowed to retain Idril (said Morgoth)."
(It would be a shame to lose this, but I am not sure what you have done with it.) I would think on the basis of this note, that Meaglin was pressed to tell of the "fashion of that plain and city, of its walls and their height and thickness, and the valour of its gates; of the host of men at arms who now obeyed Turgon", which in the earlyer story he revealled freely, but which were then also stale news since Morgoth spies had allready seen the city from fare of but that was not the case in the later Tale. In the later Tale Morgoth doth only knew were the Gondolin was nothing more - so how could he creat these special way to bring his host up to the walls?
So I think, it is save to assume that exactly this type 1 monsters were what Meaglin counseld Morgoth to make. And the discription of these type 1 "monsters" gives also some fint evidence for that:
"{Some}[They] were all of iron so cunningly linked that they might flow like slow rivers of metal or coil themselves around and above all obstacles before them, ..." this does rimind me of tow thinks:
1. Mails of linked Rings especaily the discription of Frodos "shirt" im "The Fellowship of the Ring":
"The silver corslet shimmered before his eyes like the light upon a rippling sea. Carefully he took it of and held it up, and the gems on it glittered like stars, and the sound of the shaken rings was like the tinkle of rain in a pool."
About these kind of mail it is told in "The Grey Annals": "..., and in the making of mail of linked rings (which the Enfeng [the Dwarves of Belegost] first contirved) their work had no rival."
Meaglin himself had learned great parts of his smithskraft from the Dwarves when he visited thier citys in the Ered Luin with his father Eöl. So this builds already a faint link between Meaglin and such craftsmanship, as is needed for the type 2 "monsters".
2. Is a much stronger link to Meaglin, since it is the discription of one of his famous pieces of craftsmanship [Tuor and his coming to Gondolin]:
"Now sunlight fell upon the further road, for the walls of the hills were low on either side, and green, but for the snows upon their tops; and Elemmakil hastened forward, for the way was short to the Seventh Gate, named the Great, the Date of Steel that Maeglin wrought after the return from die Nirnaeth, across the wide entrance to the Orfalch Echor.
No wall stood there, but on either hand were two round towers of great height, many-windowed, tapering in seven storeys to a turret of bright steel, and between the towers there stood a mighty fence of steel that rusted not, but glittered cold and white. Seven great pillars of steel there were, tail wit height and girth of strong young trees, but ending in a spike tat rose to the sharpness of a needle; and between the pillars were seven cross-bars of steel, and in each space seven times seven rods of steel upright, with heads like the broad blades of spears. But in die centre, above the midmost and the greatest, was raised a mighty image of the king-helm of Turgon, the Crown of die Hidden Kingdom, set about with diamonds.
No gate or door could Tuor see in this mighty hedge of steel, but as he drew near through the spaces between its there came, as it seemed to him, a dazzling light, and he shaded his eyes, and stood still in dread and wonder. But Elemmakil went forward, and no gate opened to his touch; but he struck upon a bar, and die fence rang like a harp of many strings, giving forth clear notes in harmony that ran from tower to tower."
I must admiss that the connections was stronger in my mamory than it turned out in the quote, since I messed up the discription with that of one of the other gates. But it still is evidence for Meaglins surpassing skill in metallworking, which is clearly need for such creation like the type 1 "monsters".

Respectfully
Findegil

[ August 10, 2003: Message edited by: Findegil ]